Improved apparatus for distilling petroleum



Y J. F. COLLINS.

on sun. v v o. 59,334. Patented 0m. 30, 1866.

Witnesses= Inventor.

AM. PHOTO-LITHQCQNX. (OSBORNE'S PROCESS.)

Nrrnn STATES.

JOHN F. COLLINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR Dl STlLLlNG PETROLEUM, 80C.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 59,331., dated October 30, 1566.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. COLLINS, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Distilling Petroleum and other. substances; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a portion of this specification, which is a central Vertical section of a petroleum-still constructed according to my invention.

This invention relates to an improved means of admitting air into a still, retort, boiler, or evaporator designed for the distillation of petroleum and similar hydrocarbon oils or other substances; and it consists in so constructing and combining the mouth of the still, or equivalent apparatus, with the gooseneck or exit-pipe of the same that air is admitted into the goose-neck around the mouth.

The invention further consists in the construction of the goose-neck with a collectingchannel, whereby the products arising from the condensation of vapors within the gooseneck will be collected and prevented from flowing back into the still.

The invention further consists in a conducting-tube so combined in relation with the aforesaid collecting-channel and with the exitpipe of the goose'neck as to enable the products collected in the said channel to flow therefrom into the exit-pipe to mingle with the other condensed products of distillation.

To enable others to understand the nature and construction of my invention, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the drawing.

' The still is represented at A, and the mouth thereof is shown at a. The uppermost edges of the still surrounding the said mouth a are turned over, as shown at b, so that an annular space or groove, b, is formed within and under, the portions thus turned over and concentric with the mouth or orifice a of the still.

B indicates the goose-neck of the still, which in this case constitutes a kind of cap therefor, and is supported in proper position, with regard to the mouth a thereof, by suitable brackets or braces 0, attached to the inner side or surface of the still A. The lowermost edge of this goose-neck is turned inward and upward in such manner that an annular channel, d, is formed within it, the aforesaid edge extending" upward midway into the groove 1) in such manner that an annular passage is formed between the turned-over edge I) of the still and the innermost side or portion of the channel (1, through which air may pass up into the goose-neck, as indicated by the arrows in the drawing, and as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The exitpipe of the goose-neck is marked 0, and f represents an inclined tube, which connectsthe channel cl with the exit-pipe cin such manner as to conduct any condensed products of distillation that may collect in the said channel d into the said exit-pipe, as will be presently further explained.

The petroleum or similar hydrocarbon oil being subjected to the distilling process in the still A, the vapors generated during such distillation pass upward 'into the goose-neck B, the greater portion of the said vapors passing out through the exit-pipe c, to be condensed by any suitable means, and producing by their said outward passage asufficient draft or current to draw a suitable quantity of air up through the passage formed around the mouth of the still, as indicated by the arrows inthe figure, and hereinbefore explained, whereby all the advantages resulting from an intimate mingling of atmospheric air with the vapors generated by and during the process of distillation are secured. At the same time the products resulting from the condensation of any portion of the aforesaid vapors upon the under surface of the goose-neck will flow downward upon the said surface into the collectingchannel 01, and will thus be prevented from passing back into the still A, the aforesaid condensed products of distillation being conducted by the conducting-tube f from the collecting-channel d into the exit-pipe c of the goose-neck, and thus allowed to mingle with the products of distillation passed through the said exit-pipe in the first instance.

If desired, theconnection of the goose-neck with the still where the air is admitted to the goose-neck, as just described, may be at one side of the still instead of at the top thereof.

This invention is not only applicable to ap paratus for the distillation of petroleum and other hydrocarbons, but may also be appliedto stills for the distillation of alcoholic liquors.

It may in some cases be desirable, instead of conducting the condensed products from the collecting-channel (l to the exit-pipe c, to return them to the still for redistillation; and in such case I would provide a pipe connecting the. said channel with the body of the still, and fitted with a stop-cock, that it may be opened or closed as desirable.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. So constructing the mouth a of the still, and combining it with the goose-neck O or 

